Mechanical Valve Noise and Quality of Life Study

[pellicle]

I could also feel my pulse behind my eyes too

Quick question, do you know if you have any occluded or stenotic veins? I was gifted with an occluded left brachiocheohalic vein after the whole show was over (including the debridement surgeries) and that's given me a pulse in my ear that is distinctly palpable on occasion...

 

[Thomas67]

I wouldn't say the "light thunking" I'm feeling is driving me mad or anything, just more concerned that it's normal or not. I'm still pretty new to this whole deal.
Overall not really worried though, it is what it is.
I guess it's just that all you ever hear people saying is that they can hear their valve and I'm saying that I can feel mine, and wondering if it's the same sensation just interpreted differently.

 

[Survived03]

Quick question, do you know if you have any occluded or stenotic veins? I was gifted with an occluded left brachiocheohalic vein after the whole show was over (including the debridement surgeries) and that's given me a pulse in my ear that is distinctly palpable on occasion...

Not to my knowledge. I assume this would have been detected by now. Sorry to hear this. (No pun intended)

 

[pellicle]

Not to my knowledge. I assume this would have been detected by now. Sorry to hear this. (No pun intended)

rimshot ;-)
mine was picked up in one of the post surgical follow up CT's with contrast ... so if you've had that and it wasn't, then you're in the clear there. I'm pretty sure I've had a big needle shoved into my neck there more times than is ideal, but one does what one must. Which is one of the reasons I keep saying "don't take multiple surgeries in a trivial manner".

 

[Chuck C]

it seems like I can feel the valve clicking when I take a deep breath, but so far, I can't hear it. Anyone else *feel* their valve?

Yes, this is exactly my experience has been with my St Jude. I almost never hear it, except when I take a deep breath. I'm sitting quiet at my desk right now and can't hear it at all. I take a very deep breath and I hear about 4 beats- perhaps more accurate to say that I feel them. I also have a dacron sleeve which replaced my aortic root and most of my ascending aorta.

And no one has ever heard my valve unless they put their head on my chest. I participate in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which is a grappling martial art. Often we end up in positions with our ear on our opponents chest and on a couple of occasions my training partners have heard it. Most recently a young man looked at me surprised and said: "Dude you're ticking." I explained that it was my mechanical valve. His response was epic: "So, you're Iron Man, cool!" lol

 

[Peej]

Yes, this is exactly my experience has been with my St Jude. I almost never hear it, except when I take a deep breath. I'm sitting quiet at my desk right now and can't hear it at all. I take a very deep breath and I hear about 4 beats- perhaps more accurate to say that I feel them. I also have a dacron sleeve which replaced my aortic root and most of my ascending aorta.

And no one has ever heard my valve unless they put their head on my chest. I participate in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which is a grappling martial art. Often we end up in positions with our ear on our opponents chest and on a couple of occasions my training partners have heard it. Most recently a young man looked at me surprised and said: "Dude you're ticking." I explained that it was my mechanical valve. His response was epic: "So, you're Iron Man, cool!" lol

Chuck - maybe use the valve noise and distraction while grappling to your advantage & sink in the guillotine or arm bar?